Immediate implant system

Abstract

An implant system including a substructure, a suprastructure, abutments and an implant. The suprastructure is preferably fabricated of a light polymerized resin material having reinforcements such as fibers or fillers. The suprastructure is fabricated before the substructure. The use of resin materials that exhibit less shrinkage and the fact that the process begins with the suprastructure fabrication prevents distortion of the prosthesis when the suprastructure is bonded to the substructure and placed in the patient's mouth. Additionally, the method involved in making this implant system provides a prosthesis that is available to the patient almost immediately after surgery.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of making an implant system comprising:
 making a suprastructure; 
 fitting the suprastructure in the patient's mouth to make a bite registration between the suprastructure and the opposing arch; 
 using the suprastructure as an impression tray to record the position of implants in a patient's mouth and to provide an impression of the implants; 
 using the impression to make a master cast having implant analogs; 
 making a substructure using the master cast; 
 positioning the suprastructure on the substructure; and 
 applying adhesive resin between the suprastructure and the substructure to bond the suprastructure to the substructure. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of making an implant system of  claim 1  comprising making the substructure and suprastructure of metal, plastic, ceramic, polymeric material or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       3. The method of making an implant system of  claim 2  comprising using filler or fiber reinforced composite material as the polymeric material to make the substructure and suprastructure. 
     
     
       4. The method of making an implant system of  claim 1  comprising making the suprastructure comprising denture teeth and a denture base. 
     
     
       5. The method of making an implant system of  claim 4  comprising using a first resin to make the denture teeth and a second resin to make the denture base. 
     
     
       6. The method of making an implant system of  claim 5  comprising using a third resin to make the substructure. 
     
     
       7. The method of making an implant system of  claim 6  comprising using a resin having the same or similar functional group for the first resin, second resin, third resin and adhesive resin. 
     
     
       8. The method of making an implant system of  claim 4  wherein the denture teeth and denture base are mechanically or chemically etched or abraded to provide a good adhesive surface. 
     
     
       9. The method of making an implant system of  claim 1  comprising forming air-inhibited layers on the suprastructure and substructure to enhance the bond with the adhesive resin. 
     
     
       10. The method of making an implant system of  claim 1  comprising making the substructure with a fiber-reinforced composite framework wrapped around cylinders fabricated of metal, plastic, ceramic, polymeric material or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
       11. The method of making an implant system of  claim 10  comprising making the cylinders of titanium metal coated with a titanium-compatible ceramic. 
     
     
       12. The method of making an implant system of  claim 1  wherein the adhesive resin comprises a low viscosity resin.